Shutterstock.com. With over 20 million high-quality stock photos, illustrations, vectors and video clips, Shutterstock helps you take your creative projects to the next level. For 30% off your new account, go to Shutterstock.com and use offer code TNT5

Google has signed licensing deals with Universal and Sony to provide a subscription music service. Sources say Google plans to create separate services fro the Google Play store and YouTube. Earlier this year Warner reportedly signed a deal with Google, meaning the subscription service would have all three major music companies.

Google CEO Larry Page has disclosed via a blog post that he has vocal chord paralysis in his left vocal chord, a health condition that can result in hoarse speech and labored breathing. The co-founder can't exercise at peak capacity and has to limit his participation in some company events, such as quarterly conference calls. He also said that his condition has improved and that he’s able to do all that’s required of him at work and home.

Before Google I/O kicked off this morning, a new version of Google Maps leaked and was promptly taken down by Google. However, Droid Life grabbed screenshots which show Google Earth integration, the ability to compare multiple modes of transportation including flights, along with a brand new layout. The new Google Maps will also build a tailored map for every search you make.

HP announced the SlateBook x2, the first Android detachable tablet with Nvidia's Tegra 4 processor. The X2 has a 10.2-inch HD display and a keyboard dock with its own battery. HP estimates battery life at 14 hours for the tablet and dock together. The SlateBook should arrive in August for $479.

Apple has responded to Justice Department accusations that it conspired with publishers to push up electronic book prices, saying it negotiated with a number of publishing companies separately and crafted different agreements with each. The Justice Department accused Apple in April 2012 of colluding with five publishers to push up prices as Apple prepared to launch its iPad in early 2010. It has since settled with the publishers. But Apple said the publishers had decided, independent of Apple, to eliminate discounts on wholesale book prices of e-books, to sell lucrative hardcover books first to bookstores in a practice called windowing and to take other measures to push Amazon to raise prices.

Germany has had enough of Google's autocomplete tomfoolery. A German federal court told Google to ensure that its autocomplete does not generate offensive or defamatory suggestions. The case originated by a businessman who found his name linked with "fraud" and "scientology" at Google.de. Google will now have to remove defamatory word combinations when alerted about them.

The Department of Homeland Security's issued a seizure warrant for the funds associated with MtGOX's Dwolla account. Dwolla is the main way people buy and convert Bitcoins from MtGOX. MtGOX says they have not heard why their account was seized. Dwolla says they can't say why and the DHS says they won't say.

The European Commission plans to send a formal warning to China that it is ready to levy trade duties against telecoms equipment makers Huawei & ZTE over what it says are illegal subsidies, people close to the matter said. EU trade chief Karel De Gucht is set to win support to send the warning letter and show China's new president, Xi Jinping, that the EU is serious about countering what it says is state support.

Rovio wants to share its glow with other game developers, so it's launching Rovio Stars. The new effort will give the ol' Rovio marketing push to games made by third-party developers. The first game will be Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage from Nitrome Ltd., followed by Tiny Thief by 5 Ants. Developers can apply for the program at Rovio's website.

The Verge reports that Microsoft will be ditching Microsoft Points in favor of a new gift card system. The gift cards would work like pretty much any other gift card - true currency is on the cards. Additionally, debit and credit cards would be supported to purchase downloadable content. The new system would work all over the Microsoft world including the Windows Phone Store, Windows Store, and Xbox. The new payment system could be announced at E3 and should launch with the next Xbox later this year.

- sources tell the Verge Google has now signed separate licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment for both YouTube and Google Play, as separate music sub services- NYT reporting Google won't offer a free tier for its streaming service. Most subscription music services charge about $10 per month. The WSJ reporting that as part of its negotiations for music subscription, YouTube is trying to get some kind of an audio-only license.- rumors of deal w Warner music came earlier this year- service will rival Spotify, Apple's rumored service said to be more like Pandora. - YouTube sees over than 800 million unique visitors a month and music videos are among the most popular fare.

.

14

.

tm

Department of Homeland Security Shuts Down Dwolla Payments to and From Mt. Gox

Dwolla to BetaBeat: "The Department of Homeland Security and US District Court for the District of Maryland issued a ‘Seizure Warrant’ for the funds associated with Mutum Sigillum’s Dwolla account (a.k.a. Mt. Gox). Dwolla has ceased all account activities... for Mutum Sigillum while Dwolla’s holding partner transferred Mutum Sigillum’s balance, per the warrant."- DHS spokeswoman declined to comment on the case, "in order not to compromise this ongoing investigation being conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore."- MtGOX : "as of this time we have not been provided with a copy of the court order and/or warrant, and do not know its scope and/or the reasons for its issuance."- Dwolla one of the easiest ways to buy BitCoins (Paypal forbids currency exchanges). BitINstant, OKPay, AurumXchange unaffected...1. Money laundering by a bit coin user, only way to trace2. Money laundering by MtGOX3. Currency violation against MtGOX

.

19

.

ia

Netflix Still Eats a Third of the Web Every Night; Amazon, HBO and Hulu Trail Behind

- Internet usage tracker Sandvine says Netflix was the number 1 video downstream source for the first half of 2013 for fixed networks (fixed networks here means non-mobile Internet) with 32.3% of streaming- YouTube was #2 at 17.11%, Hulu has a measly 2.41%, Amazon had 1.31% (down from 1.75%)- Comparing these numbers to the second half of 2012, Netflix is actually down from 33% last November, Hulu is up from 1.1%. YouTube is up from 14.8% and Amazon is down from 1.75%- When you look at mobile, YouTube has 27.33% (up from 27.1%). Netfix is 3.98% (up from 2.24%)

Q: Is there anything competitors can do to unseat Netflix in the home?

- HP introduced its second Android tablet, the SlateBook x2- Its design is based on the Envy x2- The 10.1-inch Slatebook runs Android 4.2.2 and also comes with a keyboard dock that lets you use the SlateBook like a traditional laptop- 1,920 x 1,200 display- The keyboard dock also has a second battery, adds two USB ports, an SD card slot, and HDMI jack,- Conflicting reports as to onboard storage. Press release says 64MB, which can't be right. A couple of sites think that means 64GB. The Verge says 16GB. - Powered by a Tegra 4 processor- Pricing: starts at $480 (that includes the dock) and will be available in August

Q: Expanding its Android offerings - good idea or bad idea for HP? Is the device unique enough that people will pick it over the competition (like Asus)?

Rovio Stars distributing games from 3rd-party developers- Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage from Nitrome Ltd. (iOS), followed by Tiny Thief by 5 Ants (iOS, Android).- Developers can apply on Rovio's website, they want Alpha or playable games, and suggest a demo video is the best way to introduce the gameQ: Will this dilute Rovio?

- few months ago malware researchers at F-Secure Labs reported active mobile threat families and variants initially spiked in the winter quarter, with Android's share jumping from 49 out of 74 known threats to 96 out of 100, with the balance being related to Nokia's essentially mothballed Symbian platform.- F-Secure's new report for the latest quarter shows Android now accounts for 136 out of 149 known threats, or 91.3 percent of all malware activity (up from 79 percent in 2012). - other threats remained related to Symbian, with zero discovered for Blackberry, Microsoft's Windows Mobile/Phone or Apple's iOS. The research noted that mobile threats are overwhelmingly motivated by profits, with 76.5 percent designed specifically to con users out of money, rather than seeking to just cause damage.

- Scammers single out Android users with cons that prompt them to update components like Adobe Flash, or direct them to services or job offers that request installation permissions from the user. Once granted, the malware installs code to either make a series of paid calls when the user is sleeping, or install SMS spyware designed to intercept the user's banking details over what appears to be a secure connection.

.

40

.

.

.

AD

.

Calendar

VIDEO

.

Tomorrow May 16 is day 2 of Google I/O. No keynote but lots of developer fun, if you're into that sort of thing.